


That Cold Tile Floor

by Joyable10



Category: JUDGE EYES: 死神の遺言 | Judgment, 龍が如く | Ryuu ga Gotoku | Yakuza (Video Games)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Anxiety, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Caring, Drug Use, Drug Withdrawal, Friendship, Hate, Kissing, Love, Needles, No Sex, Panic Attacks, Recreational Drug Use, Torture, Violent Thoughts, friendly love, sick
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:42:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joyable10/pseuds/Joyable10
Summary: Higashi wanted a normal night. He was excited to watch his TV show, so why was his face pressed against a cold tile floor to feel reality.******Warning-->Chapter 1 -There is the depiction of torture and unintentional/forced drug use. Later chapters will have the aftermath/ impact of chapter 1****
Relationships: Higashi Toru & Yagami Takayuki, Higashi Toru/Kaito Masaharu, Higashi Toru/Kaito Masaharu/Yagami Takayuki
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

Higashi was humming as he was locking up the arcade. It had been a long day. There wasn't much excitement in the arcade. Yagami and Kaito stopped by to say hi as they were investigating at the local love hotels. Yagami easily spending 5000 yen on the fish gachapon. He got nothing but repeats. Yagami begged for Higashi to change them. He finally gave in because Yagami gave him the puppy dog look; Higashi couldn't help but laugh knowing Yagami would suffer later with rent.

Higashi heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He was about to turn around and tell the person they were closed. A heavy flat object hit him in the back of his head. He stumbled forwards. He hit his face against the glass front doors. His glasses falling off his face, and they hitting the ground with a shatter. "Uh," he said. He realized he blacked out for a second, and he was on the tile floor. He felt someone starting punching him. He raised his arms in defence, but the blow to the back of his head made him lose his ground. The world spun into a dark muddy paste of blackness.

When Higashi came through, he could feel the numbing pain at the back of his head. He went to touch it to confirm. This is when he knew he was tied with rope. His forearms were tied together. The rope digging down into his arm. "Ugh," he pushed his face against his forearms. He made him realized that he was drugged. He felt like his arms were foreign to him. Everything started to feel like a dream, so he closed his eye. He pressed his face against the cold tile floor. He desperately needed something to ground him.

He heard the muffled voices from inside the room. He tried to move. "Urgg-" he felt like his mouth was dry, and his tongue no longer worked. He felt someone pulling the hair at the back of his head. The pain made him scream. He was thrown onto his back. His tied arms clutched close to his chest. He felt the same hands pull his arms away from his chest. He struggled to keep them. He felt so weak that they were easily given up.

A sharp prick worked its way into his skin. He felt something unfamiliar in his arm. He slowly felt his stomach-turning. He wanted to hurl. He turned over. His forearms pressed to his face. Higashi felt an object against his face, and it had a tube and tape. He wanted to say "no", but nothing came out. He unknowingly was rubbing his ankles together in anxiety. Next thing he knew his legs were tied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm almost finished with my teaching program. It's been a long month. I can't wait to write more. :) 
> 
> I hope you guys like it.


	2. Into the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higashi doesn't know what is happening. Time is molding into nothing. He doesn't know if Yagami and Kaito know he's gone.

"Eat," someone said pushing a bowl of wet mussy rice into Higashi's face. Rice is all they have been giving him. He leans his face into the food. He's so hungry, but if he eats too much, he'll throw it up. They hardly fed him, so he has to keep anything they give him down. His mouth tastes rice. He's glad that it doesn't have dirt. "He's a little pig," the man comments. Higashi doesn't hear him well. One of them had badly kicked his head. His right ear still rings from time to time. He wonders if the hearing will ever come back. "Inject him."

Higashi is barely finished eating when he is thrown away from the bowl. His forehead smashing into the tile. One of the men takes the tube that is sticking out of his arm and injects him. He can feel the liquid pooling in his muscles. It's cold, but it goes away. He's met with dizziness. He presses his head against the tile. He's learning that the cold tile floor is the only way to keep his mind in reality. He tries to breathe slowly because he wants to keep the food in his stomach.

He's losing the fight, and he throws up. The rice and stomach acid come up. He lays there. He listens to the men talk for a minute before deciding to leave Higashi on the ground. They close a heavy metal door behind them. Higashi lifts his face off the ground. Reality is slipping fast, but Higashi desperately wants out of the room. Every time they close the door, he wants to see if they left it to unlock or something. He lacks glasses and the drugs make his vision blur. He can't rely on his sight. He can't trust his hearing either. The metal door shutting bounces off the walls. He can't figure which way the door is.

After an hour, Higashi makes his way over to the leftover rice. He was covered in vomit and other things. He eats. He's hungry. He doesn't taste dirt, so he feels like he can stomach it. He doesn't want to leave the best rice he has had in days. He finishes and he lays there. It's not uncommon for him to lay on the ground for hours or days. If the drugs were partially nasty, he hit his head against the tile. There would be blood everywhere, but Higashi could feel a numb pain. He sometimes plays games if the drugs don't make him tired. He wonders what Kaito and Yagami are doing. They might not even be looking for him. Higashi scoffed, but that is where his mind was leading him. 

He missed Yagami and Kaito. He was kind of an asshole for a year, but after the murders, the three of them rekindled their friendship. He thought about the dinner they had planned that Friday. Yagami had to make dinner reservations since it was a popular restaurant. His mind twisted at his thoughts. He wanted food. He wanted his friends. He wanted out.

The drugs are making him panic. He's going to die in his filth. He's going to die on the cold tile floor. 

* * *

"Higashi?" Kaito leans down and touches Higashi's cheek. "Hey, Higashi. Ta-bo, fucking shit. Higashi, can you hear me?" Higashi gives a light nod, but he hurts all over. His limbs feel heavy. His joints ache. His throat is dry. "We are getting you out of here, okay," Kaito tried to keep himself from getting too emotional. "You're going to be alright." It doesn't work. Higashi feels the little teardrops on his forehead, and the nice warm hand cradle his jaw. Kaito had pulled Higashi close to his chest. Higashi feels like a child being comforted by his mother. Kaito rocks Higashi back and forth as Yagami calls for more help. Kaito is overwhelmed with emotion.

"Thanks, Aniki," Higashi whispered. 


	3. The Nightmare Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higashi is rescued, but there are some things that he's not able to escape.

Higashi feeling like his laying on a bed of clouds. He doesn't feel pain, so he thinks he finally died. He's been wishing for death even before he was kidnapped.

He feels warmth around his hand as if someone was holding it. "I'm not dead?" He mouths, but his eyes are still closed. It takes him a few minutes before he comes off the feeling of being on clouds. 

"Higashi?" Someone calls his name. He knows the voice. Higashi is putting the two together. The warmth of someone holding his hand and the familiar voice.

"Hi, Kaito," Higashi says with closed eyes. His voice hurts, but it doesn't stop him from giving Kaito the biggest smile. Higashi can hear Kaito sniffling. "Kai-to," he musters up the strength to ask. 

"I'm so sorry," Kaito says pressing his face against the back to Higashi's hand. The tear being transferred to Higashi's pale skin. "I'm so sorry."

"Kai-to," Higashi says as he feels he is losing the fight with consciousness.

"I'm so sorry," He tries to organize his thoughts, but they have been wound up so tight. Kaito's emotions have twisted him into an incoherent mess.

"It's okay," Higashi lifts his other hand to comfort his friend, but consciousness had won.

He falls back into the bed of clouds. 

* * *

"You're up?" Yagami says coming into the hospital room. Higashi nods slightly. The vertigo isn't bad today, but it could change with a snap of a finger. "How are you feeling today?" Yagami says softly, but they are muffled. Higashi reads Yagami's lips because his hearing hasn't come back. He's had a difficult time adjusting to hearing from one slightly okay ear. 

"Better," Higashi lies. Higashi wants to tell Yagami that he has been feeling like crap. Ever since he has woken up, his days feel like hell. Vertigo makes having his eyes open a double edge sword. If he keeps them open, the world spins. If he keeps them closed, he becomes claustrophobic. On top of vertigo, the doctor thought it was a good idea to stop giving him strong painkillers. The doctors suggested Higashi was slightly addicted to painkillers because of the drugs the kidnappers were using. Higashi pleaded with the doctors that he was still in pain. They wouldn't listen. Yagami tried because he had to watch Higashi cry from the horrible pain. The doctors would not budge.

If Higashi wasn't fighting the excruciating pain of his injures, he was having panic attacks. They would randomly happen when he thought about things. Most of them happened when he first wakes up, but they are the most violent when Higashi thinks about his hearing. There have been at least five. The latest one was in front of Kaito which forced him to leave the room upset.

Kaito hadn't returned. It has been a few days. Higashi knows that Kaito is emotionally stretched and not visiting is out of his character. Hell, he knows Kaito would sit in the hard plastic chair for hours.

"Good," Yagami says and smiles. Higashi knows that there's pain behind that smile, but he doesn't have glasses, so he can't see it. 

"How's Kaito? I feel bad-"

"He's fine." Yagami cuts Higashi off. He doesn't want to hear what he has to say. "He's back at the office. I think he needs a little time alone. I haven't been able to talk with him for a while." Yagami cards his fingers through his hair. Higashi senses that he's stressing them out. "Hey, it's fine," Yagami pulls his hand from his hair and takes the tissues from the night table. He pats against Higashi's face.

Higashi didn't notice that he was crying. "I'm so sorry," he finally says taking the tissues from Yagami. He clutches them in his hands. 

"You don't have to says anything, Higashi. I know it doesn't look like it, but we're glad you're safe now," Yagami says. 

The two of them talk for a while. Yagami did most of the talking and Higashi made short replies. "I was trying to get this one damn plush out of the UFO-," Yagami passionately explains his fight with the claw machine.

"Yagami," Higashi feels like he's being swallowed by sleep. 

"Yeah," Yagami looks over and sees Higashi nodding off. "Is there something wrong? Are you in pain?" He says and frantically stands up. He placed his hand on Higashi's forearm. 

"Noooo," he whines. "I'm tired. I want to sleep for a little bit." 

"Oh," Yagami felt embarrassed for worrying, and he pulled the blanket up. "I'll let you sleep. I'll be here when you wake up. Higashi holds out his hand which Yagami takes. Higashi doesn't sleep anymore without someone holding his hand. "See you later," Yagami says, and Higashi finally closes his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking part in an intensive English teaching course, so the updates will be a little slow. I got to make my parents proud.


	4. I wonder if we could go back to the way it was before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higashi is still in the hospital. Will Kaito come to visit?

Higashi felt better some days. When he did, he would read the novels Yagami brought from the library. Other days, he would look out his hospital window. He didn't have the energy to move. Yagami always sat by his side. Higashi stopped asking about Kaito a few days ago, but Yagami would go on about not being able to talk with him.

"Kaito don't seem to talk much." He says rearranging the cards and flowers on the side table. 

"I think I scared him," Higashi says. He sits in his bed and snaps his fingers against his bad ear. 

"What makes you say that?" Yagami pours the water into the vase.

"I had a panic attack in front of him. He just left the room and he hasn't come back," Higashi continues to snap his fingers.

"He's not the type of person to just leave. He might have a reason." He reaches out to grab Higashi's wrist. "You should stop doing that." Higashi pulled away. 

"I can do what I like," Higashi says frowning. He didn't like snapping at Yagami because he felt like a horrible person. "I'm not going to hear out of his ear anymore," Higashi says with tears rolling down his face.

"You don't know that. You're still healing. Even if you've lost the hearing in your ear, you can get a cool hearing aid, and we will be right there for you. You don't need to worry about it," Yagami says trying to get Higashi to calm down. "Everything will be alright in the end. You'll see." Yagami gives Higashi a soft smile. Higashi nods and wipes the tears off his face. 

"I want to get out of his room," He pulls at the wires.

"I think you should be resting," Yagami says fixing the wires so they're not pulling at Higashi's arm. "Let's watch TV. I think there's a baseball game with your favourite player." 

"The game is tomorrow, and there's nothing on," Higashi says.

"I brought a book. The one from the series that you like. They just came out with a new one," Yagami reaches into his bag and pulls out a small book. Higashi takes it. Yagami went through the trouble to put a plastic cover on. 

"Thanks," Higashi says fixing his old glasses. They didn't sit right and they were a bit blurry, but they were better than no glasses. "Have you read the series?" 

"I'm on the first book. I like it. I can see why you were into the book series," Yagami says. "I brought water and snacks." 

"I shouldn't be eating snacks." 

"What's wrong will eating biscuits?" Yagami pulls out a bottle of water and biscuits. 

"What happens---" 

"Higashi nothing is going to happen," Yagami says uncapping the water and handing it over to him. Higashi sat there. He holds the water bottle in his hands. The book lays to the side. "Not feeling well?" 

"Could you call Kaito? I can't-" Higashi says about to start crying.

"Of course," Yagami pulls out his phone and starts dialling the number. "Here," he says handing the phone over. 

"Ta-bo, I don't want to talk," Kaito says on the other end. 

"Aniki," Higashi sniffles. 

"Higashi?" There was a pause. "What's wrong?" Kaito says. Higashi doesn't respond. "I'm sorry Higashi. I haven't been coming by," he feels like he's swallowing guilt.

"Aniki," Higashi starts crying. He clutches the phone and presses the phone to his good ear. All Kaito can hear is Higashi crying.

"Higashi listen to me. I'll come over," Kaito says. Again Higashi doesn't respond. "I'm coming over right now." 


	5. Better with You Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaito comes back. But will he stay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished my teaching course. I have some time to write stories and other works before I go back to work.

Higashi holds Yagami's phone in his hands. "Hey, it's okay," Yagami tries to comfort him by rubbing his back. Higashi hiccups because he feels like he can't breathe anymore. "Why don't you lay down?" Yagami reaches over to take the phone away from Higashi. He places it on the night table. Higashi starts to slowly lay down into the hospital bed. He curls up. "Higashi," Yagami places his hand on Higashi's shoulder.  
"Aniki hates me," he finally says through the tears.  
"He doesn't hate you." Yagami takes a deep breath in and sighs. "He's just doesn't know how to express himself. You mean a lot to him. You mean a lot to the two of us. It's just hard to see you--struggling with everything," Yagami says fighting to find the right words to say. "But we know that you'll make it." Yagami tightens his grip on Higashi's shoulder. "We know you will."   
Higashi covers his face with his hands. Yagami doesn't know what else to say. The two of them sit in silence. Yagami looks out the window of the room. He wonders if everything will be all right in the end.

* * *

  
"Higashi!" Kaito yells as he opens the hospital door. Yagami stands up from his chair.  
"Kaito! You can't just rush in here and start yelling," Yagami scolds, but Kaito doesn't care.  
"Aniki?" Higashi says sitting up, but he instantly regrets it. He's hit with a wave of dizziness.  
"I got you," Kaito moves to steadily Higashi. The room feels like it's slowing down for the three of them."I'm so sorry." Kaito wraps his arms around Higashi which were warm and familiar. Higashi does the same. He wraps his arms as tightly as he could. "I'm so sorry," Kaito doesn't know what else to say. Higashi presses his face into Kaito's shoulder.  
"I'm so happy you came back," Higashi tries to hold onto Kaito. "I feel better with you around." He didn't want to let him go. He wanted to keep Kaito close, but he's growing weak. "Aniki," he musters to say.   
"Higashi?" Kaito says feeling Higashi loosen his grip. "You must be tired," Kaito helps lay Higashi back into the bed. Kaito places his hand on Higashi's. Yagami walks over and places his hand on their hands.  
"I'm glad your back," Yagami says to Kaito. He turns his attentions to Higashi. "Get some rest. We'll be right here."   
"Thank you," Higashi whispers before closing his eyes.

* * *

  
Yagami sits back into his chair and sighs. Kaito crosses his arms. "Kaito, can I talk to you outside?" Yagami uncrossed his legs.   
"Sure," Kaito says knowing what Yagami was going to ask him.  
"Before you say anything, I've been a really shitty friend to the two of you," Kaito says as Yagami closes the door behind him.   
"Shitty-that's not the start of it. Higashi wouldn't stop crying because he thinks you hate him," Yagami says crossing his arms. "Kaito, he worried he might not hear out of his ear."   
"I'm sorry," Kaito says staring at Yagami's shoes. "I'm sorry that I left the two of you. I'm sorry I wasn't there."   
"Why?"  
"Huh?" Kaito looks up at Yagami.   
"Why did you run? You never run away. Fuck, you normally run towards anything scary." Yagami shifts his weight from one foot to the other.   
"I was scared," Kaito says shaking. "I've seen some really fuck up shit in my life." He clenches his hands into fists, but it's not working. His hands go numb. "But that-" he points at the door. He feels anger and fear take over him. "That, seeing Higashi, panic. I couldn't. Tak, I just couldn't-," Kaito's voice cracks and his bottom lip quivered. "I--." Yagami uncrosses his arms. The last time he's seen Kaito this upset was right after he was kicked out of the family.  
"Are you going to be okay, Kaito?" Yagami places his hand on Kaito's forearm. "Kaito?"  
"No, I'm not okay," Kaito says.   
  
That's all Yagami needs to hear.   
  
"Let's sit you down somewhere. Quiet." Yagami takes Kaito's hand and he guides him to a quiet meeting area.  
Kaito buries his head into his hands. "I really fucked up," he says muffled through his hands.  
"You didn't fuck up. I don't know what I would do if I was in your situation. It's difficult until it happens." Yagami rubs Kaito's back. He knows that Kaito's crying. "We've been through a lot. It's okay to feel like this." Yagami placed his other hand on Kaito's knee. "After visiting hours, we'll get something to eat. I've never seen you eat since that day." Kaito laughed through his tears.  
"I don't think I have been eating. I don't remember," Kaito looks up and wipes his face with the back of his hand. He gives a small smile, and Yagami does the same.

* * *

  
"You stayed?" Higashi says putting his glasses on.  
"Of course, we stayed," Kaito says pulling the chair closer. "Yagami's gone to get a little food before we leave. They don't feed you enough at this hospital."  
"That's true, but I haven't eaten properly for weeks. I guess they don't want to me get sick."  
"True, but you were already so skinny before."  
"Not everyone can look like you," Higashi laughs deeply like he hasn't done it in years.  
"Eat and hit the gym. You can look like me," Kaito says.  
"Not a chance!" Higashi crosses his arms.

* * *

  
"It's almost the end of visiting hours. We will be here early in the morning," He says reaching over to take Higashi's hand. "Do you want water?"  
"A little," Higashi says and Kaito reaches for the water bottle. There's a little plastic straw in it. Higashi takes a little sip.  
"Aniki, are you alright?" Higashi asks.  
"I'm fine, Higashi. Better than before," Kaito says. "I should be the one worried about you. Your eyes are so red and puffy," Kaito reaches over to rub Higashi's cheeks. "I'm sorry. I made you worry."   
"Higashi," Yagami says coming into the room. "I found food," he says placing it on the night table.   
"Thanks," Higashi says.   
"How's Tak's bedside manner?"   
"Hey," Yagami says defensively. "I've been good. Right?"   
"Sneaking food in. Bring me books." Higashi grins. "He still doesn't know when the game is one with Aoyama-san."   
"He's playing tomorrow," Kaito says.  
"See-" Higashi smiles and Yagami sticks his tongue out. "He's trying. That's all I could ask for."  
"Thank you, Higashi," Yagami takes the praise. 


End file.
